Cranberry Bee Sting Cake

This Cranberry Bee Sting Cake does double duty as either a Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert. Or both. This cake is sheet pan-sized. Consequently, it yields approximately 16 pieces.

A variation on the German traditional Bienenstich, this recipe sports a yeasted cake base topped with caramelized, honeyed almond leaves and fresh cranberries. Bake the cake, slice it into two pieces, horizontally, then fill with a layer of cranberry pastry cream. There are several steps to create this lovely holiday dessert. However, it’s worth the effort.

Every holiday season, I make several desserts for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The trick to not driving myself insane in the process is balancing the dessert menu as follows: Firstly, desserts to make ahead of time. Secondly, desserts that are super easy to create the day of the holiday meal. Thirdly, make one beautiful complicated recipe that is a stunner on the table. This Cranberry Bee Sting Cake falls into the last category.

This cake has many steps. Additionally, beware that there is an hour and a half rise time for the yeasted cake base plus a two hour chill time for the cranberry pastry cream filling. The crunchy honeyed almond cranberry studded topping on this cake is a total winner. However, the luscious cranberry pastry cream is also a standout element. Consequently, it stands as a dessert all on its own.

Tip:

Make a double portion for the Cranberry Pastry Cream and serve it in a parfait glass topped with crumbled ginger cookies.

The best part about this cake is that it is not too sweet. The yeasted cake base contains only a half a cup of sugar in total. The pastry cream, only a third of a cup. It is the topping that does the heavy lifting in the sweetness department. However, the tart fresh cranberries balance that out nicely.

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Cranberry Bee Sting Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword Bee Sting Cake, Christmas Desserts, Thanksgiving Desserts,

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Rise Time/Chill Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes

Servings 16

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 teaspoons dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 large egg
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the topping:

• 1 stick plus three tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups blanched almond leaves
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups fresh cranberries

For the Cranberry pastry cream:

• 2 large egg yolks slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
• 1+1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Make the cake base:

1. Warm 1/2 cup of the milk.
2. Add the yeast and dissolve.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup white granulated sugar and the pinch of salt.
4. Add the egg and 6 tablespoons butter in pieces. Mix to combine.
5. Add the yeasted milk and knead into a smooth dough.
6. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel and stow in a warm place for 45 minutes.
7. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch rimmed baking sheet.
8. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead once more.
9. Transfer to the baking sheet and roll out the dough to fit the pan. Stow in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Make the topping:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat melt 1stick plus 3 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup white granulated sugar and the honey together.
2. When everything is combined, stir in the almond leaves.
3. Stir in 5 tablespoons of milk. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool.

Top the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Brush the honey-almond mixture over the top of the dough.
   
3. Sprinkle the cranberries over the top
   
4. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Make the cranberry pastry cream:

1. If the cranberry sauce is chunky, blitz it in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Place the cranberry sauce, milk, sugar and flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture starts to boil and has thickened.
4. Slowly pour some of the hot mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
5. Add the tempered egg yolks and the strained mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine.
6. Stir in the butter.
7. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
8. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic cling film, making sure the plastic touches the surface of the pastry cream.
9. Chill for at least 2 hours.
10. Whip the heavy cream.
11. Fold the whipped cream and the remaining 1/4 cup of cranberry berry sauce into the chilled cream.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Cut the cooled cake into quarters from the short side of the pan.
2. Working with one rectangle at a time, slice the rectangle in half horizontally, remove the top portion of the cake.
3. Spread a layer of cranberry pastry cream and replace the top cake layer.
4. Once you have filled the four sections, cut the sections into smaller, serving size rectangles.
5. If desired, garnish with additional fresh cranberries before serving.

Like this Cranberry Bee Sting Cake? Try some of these other holiday cake recipes: